Rondo, C's batter Bobcats

BOSTON — Rajon Rondo, apprised before the game that his assist totals had taken a dip during the Celtics' longest winning streak of the season, shrugged off the importance.

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By FROM WIRE REPORTS

capecodtimes.com

By FROM WIRE REPORTS

Posted Jan. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By FROM WIRE REPORTS
Posted Jan. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

BOSTON — Rajon Rondo, apprised before the game that his assist totals had taken a dip during the Celtics' longest winning streak of the season, shrugged off the importance.

But most who have watched the Boston point guard over the last two years know better. He is very aware of the ebb and flow of his numbers.

And Monday night, with the Celtics putting their season-high sixth straight win on the board with a 100-89 decision over Charlotte, the Celtics point guard produced his third triple double of the season and the 26th of his career.

After getting off to a nine-point, five-assist, six-rebound start in the first quarter, Rondo finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.

The Celtics scored 13 of the game's first 15 points and never trailed. Rondo was responsible for Boston's first 19 points, with five assists and seven points in the opening 6:17.

Paul Pierce finished with 19 and Avery Bradley added 16 for the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett, who needed 13 points to tie Patrick Ewing for 16th on the NBA's career scoring list, was 2 for 11 from the field and scored just seven points to go with his 10 rebounds.

A quick 6-0 run by Charlotte, including back-to-back dunks by Gerald Henderson, cut the Celtics lead to 89-83 with 3:04 left. But Ben Gordon punctured his own team's good will with a technical foul, which Pierce converted, and then drove on the ensuing possession for a 92-83 lead with 2:53 left, forcing a Charlotte timeout.

Henderson came out of the break with an impossibly tough rainbow banker over Garnett, cutting the Celtics lead to 92-85, but the Celtics center matched the challenge, hitting a jumper from the top of the circle over Bismack Biyombo down the other end.

Though Gordon and Kemba Walker had veered into one of their collective offensive zones, Rondo closed the night out, first with a 10-footer and then a feed on a Bradley hoop for a 98-87 advantage.

The Celtics, despite their recent success, are still quite capable of falling asleep at the switch.

How else to explain the Bobcats, who trailed by 11 points (56-45) at halftime , being able to gash the Celtics with a 13-2 run over the first 3:24 of the third quarter.

The burst tied the game at 58 on a Michael Kidd-Gilchrist drive, but also splashed the Celtics starts will some much-needed cold water.

They ran off seven straight points, capped by Bradley's fourth 3-pointer of the night, and eventually escaped the third quarter with a 76-70 lead.

Charlotte wound up losing its their third straight and 23rd in the last 25 games since opening the season 7-5.

NOTES: Celtics F Chris Wilcox, who is out with a sprained right thumb, did a video chat before the game with fans in Afghanistan. Wilcox is back practicing but his return is still uncertain. ... Going into the game, the Celtics had allowed 84.4 points per game, second in the league.